Marblehead school board to review code of ethics

MARBLEHEAD – After three years of trying, School Committee member Jonathan Lederman finally convinced the committee to take a second look at its Code of Ethics.In the past, committee members routinely approved the code at their May organizational meetings but, two years ago, Lederman began questioning parts of it.In 2009 and 2010, he was criticized for his position and outvoted but Thursday evening the discussion was less contentious and the results were different. After a discussion, the committee unanimously postponed action on the code until their summer retreat.Lederman?s concerns center around three points in the 17-point code. The points forbid committee members from binding the committee to a specific action outside of meetings, making statements or promises about how they will vote on matters that will come before the committee and making decisions without hearing and discussing all the facts.Lederman pointed out that this year?s School Committee race sparked debate over the openness of meetings. “There are times when a School Committee member does have to get involved with situations,” Lederman said. “These (sections) restrict what we can say as individuals. My intent is to act with total honesty, integrity and ethics.”He called on his colleagues to revisit the code and said, “These sections are going to need some work.”Newly elected committee member Thomas Connolly thought that the code was unusual for “limiting free speech.”?I wonder what the precedent is,” he said.Committee member Dick Nohelty, one of those who criticized Lederman last year for questioning the code, pointed out that there are now two members questioning its wording and suggested discussing it during the committee retreat.During the committee?s reorganization it was Lederman who nominated EuRim Chun to continue as chairman.?When you were nominated in September I was skeptical for a variety of reasons,” Lederman told her, “but my skepticism turned out to be totally unfounded. You?ve run the meetings and kept us all abreast of what was going on.”Nohelty nominated Lederman to continue as vice chairman and Kathy Leonardson nominated Nohelty to be committee secretary. The votes to name all three were unanimous.